The Seychelles Women’s National Team recently returned from a week-long international training camp in Singapore, where they played two friendly matches as part of the FIFA International Window. The camp, held from 22 to 29 November, provided crucial international exposure and marked another important step in the team’s long-term development.
Two Challenging Fixtures Against Singapore
Seychelles faced the Singapore Women’s National Team in two matches:
- 25 November – Closed-door friendly
- 28 November – Official friendly at Bukit Gombak Stadium
Despite the results, the team delivered disciplined performances and demonstrated clear signs of growth, especially considering that it has been a year since their last international outing.
A Test of Resilience and Progress
Head Coach Chris Yip-Au expressed pride in the squad’s determination and composure throughout the tour:
“I’m extremely proud of the girls for their resilience. Many of them haven’t played at this level for some time, yet they showed great courage and a positive mindset. These matches gave us the chance to see where we are and what we need to continue working on.”
The matches highlighted both strengths and key areas for improvement. Seychelles created good passages of play, built promising attacking movements, and showed improved organisation, but inconsistencies and a few costly errors made the difference on the scoreboard.
“We had clear objectives for this camp and the players met those targets. We saw excellent moments in both games, but now we need to produce those moments more consistently,” added Yip-Au.
Blending Youth and Experience
A significant highlight of the tour was the squad’s composition. Nearly half of the players were from the recent CJSOI U17 silver-medal winning team, reflecting the federation’s commitment to a clear development pathway.
The integration of these young talents, alongside senior players, provided a balanced and dynamic team structure.
“Bringing our CJSOI players into the senior environment helps maintain momentum and gives them early international experience. This will be crucial for their footballing journey,” said Yip-Au.
A Valuable Learning Opportunity
The Singapore matches also exposed Seychelles to a fast, high-intensity style of play. The team noted that match fitness and physical conditioning are areas requiring continued focus in order to compete across 90 minutes at international standards.
Off the pitch, the camp provided opportunities for team-building, recovery sessions, tactical workshops, and individual player development. Thus, further strengthening the foundations of the women’s national team programme.
Looking Ahead
The Seychelles Football Federation extends its appreciation to the Football Association of Singapore for hosting the team and providing a supportive environment throughout the tour. These friendlies are part of a broader plan to secure more international matches and accelerate the growth of women’s football in Seychelles.
“All in all, I’m very proud of the girls. They embraced the challenge, learned valuable lessons, and represented Seychelles with heart,” Yip-Au concluded.
The team returns home motivated, inspired, and committed to building on this important international exposure as preparations continue for future regional competitions.
